Please Help!! What wire do i tap into for led bed lights??

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I'm trying to install led bed lights on my 2006 ram 1500 so I can see up under my tonneau cover at night but I don't know what wires to tap into for a constant power.

If you could tell me what color wire on either the tail light harness or the 4 pin trailer harness I would really appreciate it.
 

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I'm trying to install led bed lights on my 2006 ram 1500 so I can see up under my tonneau cover at night but I don't know what wires to tap into for a constant power.

If you could tell me what color wire on either the tail light harness or the 4 pin trailer harness I would really appreciate it.

Should be the BROWN wire if you want to hook it to the 4 pin trailer harness to come on when you turn on your lights..... just googled "4 pin trailer wiring diagram".
 

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I know Im the wrong year Ram but WHen I do mine I'm tapping off the cargo lamp. So when thats on Bed is on. Either by switch inside or automatically.
 
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Should be the BROWN wire if you want to hook it to the 4 pin trailer harness to come on when you turn on your lights..... just googled "4 pin trailer wiring diagram".

I don't want them on when I turn on my lights. I plan to install a rocker switch inline so I can turn the bed lights on and off without having to enter my truck or have my keys with me. I need a wire that's constantly drawing power, not one that only gets power once another switch is turned on.


I know Im the wrong year Ram but WHen I do mine I'm tapping off the cargo lamp. So when thats on Bed is on. Either by switch inside or automatically.

I don't even want to go through the hassle of that wiring job. Besides, if I do it that way, I have to have my keys on me and flip the switch inside the cab. I want to hook it up so I can just flip a switch I install in the top corner of the bed.
 
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Should be the BROWN wire if you want to hook it to the 4 pin trailer harness to come on when you turn on your lights..... just googled "4 pin trailer wiring diagram".

Is this the 06 dodge ram wiring setup? If so, it looks like (if I'm correct, which I might not be, wiring is my weakness) it looks like I want to tap into the red wire, if I want to be able to turn the led lights on and off without having to do anything else.

Is this correct? The red wire in the 4 pin trailer harness is a constant 12v power line?
 

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bulrid8

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There is no powerwire in a 4 pin. That diagram shows a 7 pin system. If you have the tow package, you may have a power wire there at the 7 blade.

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I have a 12v outlet in my toolbox and a flashlight charger. I ran a 10ga fused lines from battery to toolbox for constant power. It is not hard to run a wire back to bed, from the battery.

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I have a 12v outlet in my toolbox and a flashlight charger. I ran a 10ga fused lines from battery to toolbox for constant power. It is not hard to run a wire back to bed, from the battery.

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I guess I'll just run one under the truck up to the front and into the engine bay and zip tie it up nice and hidden. I'll throw a fuse on it too close to the battery. Don't really have any other choice it seems.


I did see a YouTube video of a guy with a early 3g (04/05 style) and he cut into a constant power wire under his bed. He wasn't clear on what wire it was he just kinda said I cut into this wire here and never said the color and the video was too dark to see.

Someone has to have spliced into a wire back there for bed lights. I know every single person with bed lights did not wire them to their cargo light switch or run to the battery. I know many have wired into a constant, but it seems nobody is around to chime in and help.

BTW I have a 4 pin trailer harness. My truck did come with the tow package. Where would I find those wires? Is that the plug up under the little black "door" on the rear bumper by the plate?
 

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Yes, that is the 7 blade plug. Take a meter and test each pin with lights off. See if any are constant 12v.

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Yes, that is the 7 blade plug. Take a meter and test each pin with lights off. See if any are constant 12v.

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Cool. I will have to do that tomorrow as its 11pm and dark lol. I didn't even realize I had that plug and that harness under there until you said something and I was like oh yea there is a plug there for towing lol.

As you can tell I don't do any towing lol I've only had my truck for 2 months and I'm still finding new stuff. Took me over a month to find the 2nd storage compartment under the jump seat lol and then just the other day I figured out there is storage space under the back seats lol... I just keep finding new stuff it's awesome.
 

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Check it out. I just did this last weekend. Love the outcome. I've done it on all my past trucks. My rocker is in the cab but same principle. Wired it from battery, into cab, then to lights

85ce335e24ff9af66834b5c6382af116.jpg


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Check it out. I just did this last weekend. Love the outcome. I've done it on all my past trucks. My rocker is in the cab but same principle. Wired it from battery, into cab, then to lights

85ce335e24ff9af66834b5c6382af116.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The Red/Violet wire in the 7 wire harness for the tow package was NOT a constant 12v. I ended up having to run a wire from the back of my bed to the battery under the hood. I made sure to put in a 15a inline fuse.

It turned out amazing! I couldn't be happier with how bright the LED's are.

• 4 10000K Pilot Automotive 8" COB LED Strips, Polar Blue
• Switch Located In Top Driver Side Corner Near Tailgate

First couple pictires were during dusk, while the sun was still out. Last picture is pitch black at night.

*** Ignore the yellow wires above the switch. When I took the picture I had yet to tuck them all the way away. ***
 

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akennedyusmc

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Here are my lights after my bedlining weekend. bafbab71de1a32305c08f0d9abf9b414.jpg


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MaizeNBlue

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I bought a light kit...has a switch in the bed to turn on and off, just ran the wires to the battery. .. easy
 

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MaizeNBlue

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Round $75 if I remember correctly
 

akennedyusmc

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Damn....I got a $12 real from Amazon that was 16 feet, a $5 rocker switch from napa and some extra wire from other projects. And some spare time of course which is the hardest to find


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Has anyone added the cargo lights to a 2015?
 

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